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Elias 
Posts:56
Aspiring
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| 08/04/2008 8:54 PM |
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May be a silly question, but it seems to be a good one.
How important is exercise? I have read in the Zone books that if one is in the Zone, that he or she is burning fat. So, if one is burning fat, then why would exercise be important? I read somewhere, but I can't remember where it was that workouts or lack of them wouldn't really make or break fat burning in the Zone.
Anyone out there that has a good explanation for this? |
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paul
Posts:76
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| 08/04/2008 10:27 PM |
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Elias, there are more expert opinions than mine on this site, but, it is true that excercise is not required to reduce fat% and still maintain muscle %.
However, the benefits of exercise are extensive. Hope you can fit some exercise into your lifestyle. |
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"If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. There's no use being a damn fool about it." ~W.C. Fields |
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andrew
Posts:12
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| 08/05/2008 11:42 AM |
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Well actually exercise is important in deciding how fast the fat comes off. You see it is true that you will be burning fat off whilst in the zone whether you are watching tv or running. However you will be consumng more energy whilst performing aerobic exercise and therefore tapping into your fat stores more vigorously. Also, weight training results in larger muscle mass in the body and therefore more energy is required just to maintain them so when you are watching tv the energy used will be higher.
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E.Wally
Posts:271
Zoner
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| 08/05/2008 1:24 PM |
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Elias,
From where you are coming from this is not a silly question and as far as it relates to the Zone Eating Plan I believe it has been addressed - yes ?
[ from this thread ]:
08/04/2008 10:27 PM Quote Reply Alert
Elias, there are more expert opinions than mine on this site, but, it is true that excercise is not required to reduce fat% and still maintain muscle %.
However, the benefits of exercise are extensive. Hope you can fit some exercise into your lifestyle.
[end of quoted response ]
Truer words never spoken. I have been "on the/in the Zone for about 10 years. Once established in my daily/weekly diet and activities - which did, in the end, take a while, I went on for YEARS with very little effort, if any, maintaining my weight and nutrition.
Except for the period of about 18 months where my WEEKLY routine, that had like clockwork included 25 miles of walking, got disturbed by a lower back problem that flared up.
To make a very long story short I made constant and numerous "adjustments" to my diet and excercise to compensate - and things only gradually got worse and worse.
I needed to SERIOUSLY DEAL WITH the lower back thing which I had been avoiding because I mistakingly assumed it would require surgery and had run into way too many people who cursed the day they had their back operated on.
It didn't require surgery and after a carefully designed course of therapy got underway - I was back walking again like I used to and -
to my amazement - EVERYTHING fell back into place again.
I had ALWAYS been aware that ANY "diet" [ and I hate to use THAT word ] - ANY DIET PLAN THAT WORKED that I had looked into ALWAYS worked effectively for those that included REGULAR excercise.
I have yet to see ANY course of "diet" or "nutrition regulation" for general and specific health purposes that DID NOT ALWAYS recommend it be accompanied by "regular" excercise.
There 's a reason for that.
Actually - there's LOTS OF REASONS.
Every day more and more data accumulates indicating that EXCERCISE, or better put, the LACK of it by the American public is a HUGE contributing factor to the Obesity Epidemic and numerous related health problems caused by it.
If you like I can put together some links to as many articles, abstracts, and studies, as you like that will support this.
In the end, however, I can sum up ALL OF IT for you :
REGULAR - as in REGULAR - EXCERCISE IS JUST PLAIN GOOD FOR YOU IN WAYS TOO EXTENSIVE TO LIST.
It will, specifically, significantly enhance whatever efforts you make toward a "Zonal Way of Nutrition" - and at the same time REDUCE the required effort.
*****one last note :
A very recently, VERY LARGE, - the largest and most extensive to date - study of the relationship between various amounts of "regular" [ defined as at least every other day up to daily] excercise - SPECIFICALLY WALKING - found, among MANY OTHER THINGS,the complete results and conclusions yet to be "officially" published, found that there was indistinguishable differences [benefits] between the group of people who walked for 60 minutes per whatever similar schedule and those that walked for only 30 minutes.
This was a very big surprise to everyone involved [ and NOT involved - like me ! ]
*** forgot to mention - ALL groups were at the same time - walking or not - attempting "weight loss" with "diet modification".
However - it was CLEARLY observed that the groups that included REGULAR excercise had significantly better results in "weight loss" AND improvement in all other related health benefits.
The clearest conclusion - if there is ONE - is that the importance of REGULAR excercise - REGULALRY REPEATED EXCERCISE - "predictable frequency" is considerably more important than "intensity".
This is NOT what they expected to find.
Another interesting observation was that the "excercise group" that fared the worst was one in which the excercise [ walking ] was done once a week for a longer period. However - they still obtained better results than ANY of the non excercise groups.
I thought one very encouraging result was how effective only 30 minutes of WALKING every other day up to every day was !
Friends - it does NOT take much effort to work that into your life.
... from the "END" Zone
E.Wally
ewally@verizon.net
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Elias
Posts:56
Aspiring
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| 08/05/2008 7:50 PM |
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I thank you all for chiming in.
How about this, though? If someone is on the outer fringes of the Zone, would the addition of exercise bring him/her in to the Zone? I know this isn't exactly what I asked in my first post, but it got me to thinking. |
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Matt
Posts:248
Zoner
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| 08/06/2008 9:40 AM |
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Is exercise a requirement to be in the Zone? Maybe not. Is exercise a pillar of being healthy? Absolutley!
Look at the Zone Pyramid, fitness is a part of it. For my personal plan I put Fitness Ahead of Omega 3. First I "mastered" the nutrition and added in some walking. Then I added in 5-6 days a week of exercise at the gym. During that time I added in the Omega 3. Now I have added in additional exercise at a higher intensity.
To answer your 2nd question I don't think you can be in the "Zone" without being in the zone nutrionally. Can you lose weight and build muscle by being on the fringe and doing exercise? Yes but you will still be on the fringe. |
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Elias
Posts:56
Aspiring
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| 08/07/2008 9:42 PM |
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I guess, though, that with the evidence that exercise raises HDL levels and helps to reduce insulin levels, I would wonder exactly how much one can rely on exercise to get into the Zone. I would have to think that if exercise has an effect on insulin levels, that there must be SOME component of it that helps one to get in the Zone.
So, if one eats in the Zone, but may have trouble with carb metabolism, would the addition of exercise be the "missing ingredient" that would improve one's chances of actually getting into the Zone?
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Elias
Posts:56
Aspiring
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| 08/12/2008 7:32 PM |
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| Geez, no one can answer this? |
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Barbara
Posts:32
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| 08/12/2008 7:51 PM |
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I believe so Elias. I began the Zone last year around august in order to get in shape for my wedding :) And I can truly assure to you that exercise IS the ultimate ingredient to be in the Zone. Really! I weight myself every day and the machine can tell: half a kilogram (I live in Mexico) or a little less right after my cardio routine. It is so exact! Also, my energy and focus go better the days I hit the gym or do a Zumba class at home.
It works for me :) |
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Matt
Posts:248
Zoner
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| 08/13/2008 12:24 AM |
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Elias, Like I stated earlier look at the Zone Pyramid. Nutrition is the base of the pyramid for a reason. I have had multiple trainers tell me that 70-90% of being fit is nutrition. To be completely in the Zone you do need some exercise. With no exercise you will lose lean body mass. I still believe you should master the nutrition as best you can without extreme exercise before you try to combine them. That way you have a base line to guide you from for making adjustments as your requirements change. Remember the Zone is a range not a specific point what works for one may not work for another. I consider myself to have been in the Zone for quite some time without anything more than walking. As my body changed and my exercise changed my requirements to stay in the Zone needed to be adjusted.
I think I am confortably in the Zone but I am always listening to my body. Knowing those signs is key to make the adjustments needed.
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Sue
Posts:3923
Zoner
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| 08/13/2008 11:25 AM |
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Matt's right. Also, I've had similar experiences myself.
Barry Sears opinions concur that diet has the most impact on staying the Zone. |
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sue
lost 100 lbs 13 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!
for more photos, scroll over this photo and click when the link appears
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E.Wally
Posts:271
Zoner
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| 08/13/2008 1:51 PM |
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MUCH wisdom in Matt's words ...
... and from the lips of our esteemed leader - the DEFINITIVE anwswer - I would say :
from the Anti Inflammation book :
"... other steps you can take to reduce silent inflammation ... include incorporating smart excercise ... into our daily wellness program. THE MORE YOU INCORPORATE THESE ADDITIONAL TECHNIQUES, THE LESS STRICT YOU HAVE TO BE WITH THE ZONE DIET ... "
"... our DAILY wellness program ... "
You have to be "... less strict ... with The Zone Diet..."
... from the "SCHOOL OF DAILY EXCERCISE" Zone
E.Wally
ewally@verizon.net |
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Matt
Posts:248
Zoner
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| 08/13/2008 3:57 PM |
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Thanks Sue & Wally for the support.
On the quotes Wally used I would point out that the context is different. He at that point is referring to reducing silent inflammation. With all the additions in the wellness pyramid you can be less strict with the nutrition and still be healthy. But if you are incorporating exercise as sport or competition you should be more strict on the nutrition to get the biggest possible gains you can. But it still holds true even if you are only trying to reach wellness.
The first step to mastery is preparation.
Matt |
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Cranberrycat
Posts:1906
Zoner
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| 08/13/2008 10:54 PM |
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Hey, quick question here...
Since we are talking about exercise, I have seen it mentioned regarding the 80%/20% rule. However, can't seem to find a reference to it (now that I am looking for it). Can anyone expand on that?
Personally, I have never had any success with weight loss without incorporating diet AND exercise. Not even in the Zone! |
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Cranberrycat
We don't own the earth; we borrow it from our children.
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Sue 
Posts:3923
Zoner
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| 08/14/2008 3:43 PM |
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You're welcome Matt!
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sue
lost 100 lbs 13 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!
for more photos, scroll over this photo and click when the link appears
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neal
Posts:14
Aspiring
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| 08/15/2008 1:23 PM |
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now that we're talking about how nutrition is more important than exercise; can i touch on the subject of michael phelps' 12k carb diet? http://www.menshealth.com/beijing/story.html
i'll be frank; the zone helped me gain weight, maintain muscle mass and stay strong throughout the years; however, when i want to excel and achieve my best athletic efforts to win races, my peak has to be sought and obstacles have be overcome mentally. i have to mentally push myself to run in slush, rain, grip icy bars to get my pull ups and muscle ups. i run a lot faster when i am competing than when i run alone; if i am on the track and somebody wants to pass me, a competitive drive is triggered that does not let me lose whether i had a few glasses of wine and too much garlic bread the night before or a zone favorable turkey serving with steamed veggies and fruit.
i have seen athletes perform remarkably without any diet @ all. Any thoughts?
as an aside; i follow the zone from monday to friday; and i have to admit there is a rush i feel on sundays after eating too much bread on saturdays that has helped me beat personal records i have set sprinting while in the zone; i have read dr. sears' case studies where he finds that athletes bonk; i believe that finding may be different for some people. |
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all i know is forward |
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Elias
Posts:56
Aspiring
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| 08/16/2008 9:39 AM |
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Sue,
How does this translate as far as fat burning goes?
If the zone DIET converts the body into a fat-burning machine, then will exercise make it more efficient?
Or, if someone is EATING in the zone but not really experiencing efficient fat burning, will exerice make the difference that the Zone eating plan didn't?
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